


Homecoming and Reflection

by ProPinkist



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Akatsuki no Yona Big Bang 2016, Angst, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I don't intend for this to be shippy but people may see it that way if they prefer to, Post 100+ Spoilers, as far as I know there are no fics where the hhb returns to Kija's village so I wanted to do one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 11:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8531839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProPinkist/pseuds/ProPinkist
Summary: Kija returns to his village with his newfound family, and talks to his father. Jae-ha joins him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Akayona Big Bang on tumblr. Kija is my favorite character but he is a challenge to write somehow; I'd like to think I did him justice in this situation. This was also my first time writing about Garou, even just mentions of him, and so I realllly really really hope I portrayed Jae-ha's emotions about the sensitive relationship they had realistically and tastefully... hopefully I'll have it in me to do more with them later, since they do fascinate me (and break my heart). For now, though, have some Kija and Jae-ha brotherly bonding~

“Lord Hakuryuu… i-is that you?!”

No sooner had they set foot into the village were they were noticed by the resident closest to the entrance, who wore a look of utter shock and awe. Before Kija could say anything in response, the man dropped the basket he was carrying, and raced off to the interior of the village, shouting in excitement.

_“Lord Hakuryuu has returned to us! Everyone, come quickly!”_

Kija sighed in embarrassment as the man’s voice faded, shaking his head slowly. “This was to be expected, I suppose.”

“You’re quite popular here, aren’t you Kija, heh,” Jae-ha smirked, nudging him in the arm with his elbow. “In more ways than one, I imagine.”

“Please do not remind me,” Kija groaned as he covered his face with his hand. “You’ll be right at home here, I daresay.”

Ignoring Jae-ha’s satisfied grin, he moved forward into the village, knowing the others would follow on their own. As much as he acted like he dreaded the inevitable overwhelming welcome, in truth, he would gladly embrace it. After just having been here for a few minutes, he already felt nostalgia creeping up on him, and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to see everyone again, to see the beautiful trees and the pond and the houses, to be in his own room again, where it was cozy, warm and familiar. Not necessarily for the sake of the luxury of it, but because it was home. Kija hadn’t realized how much he had truly missed it until now, and it felt like he’d been gone forever.

As he made his way forwards, the others followed; Zeno’s excited steps standing out amongst the others.

“Ahhh, it’s been so long since we’ve been here!” Yona exclaimed, gazing around in pleasure. She turned to look at him, her radiant smile filling his chest with warmth like it always did. “I know you’re happy to come back, Kija!”

“Yes indeed, Princess,” he answered, smiling serenely.

It wasn’t long before more villagers came into view, barreling towards him in a giant white blur. They all crowded around him, their excited voices shouting his name in earnest jubilation, some blubbering with happy tears. Kija nodded and said hello to all of them, smiling back (and for once, tolerating the girls who gave him affectionate hugs). Even though they revered him, they all genuinely saw him as part of their giant family as well, as did he of them. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

After he had managed to quiet them all, the villagers dropped to the ground, bowing before him politely.

“Lord Hakuryuu,” the front-most one said. “We are honored and joyous to see you back.”

“I’m glad to be home.”

They rose to their feet again, and turned towards the other members of their group, who all had different expressions on their faces. Yona and Zeno were smiling widely, Yoon looked the tiniest bit miffed, probably remembering what the villagers had done to him the first time they had come, Jae-ha looked like he was trying not to laugh, and Shin-ah was bravely standing his ground, hiding slightly behind Hak, but otherwise visible.

“And we are honored to be in your presence as well, our Master. We hope that our Lord has served you well.” They bowed again, but at the waist this time, and towards Yona.

“Yes, we are very happy to have him,” Yona said gently, obviously overwhelmed but trying not to show it. “Thank you for helping Kija become the good person that he is.”

Kija turned his head, trying to hide his blush, and he could hear the quiet murmurs of the crowd as they discussed the Princess using his own name so informally. He knew it must seem interesting to them; after all, he himself could hardly believe it when Yona had first asked for his name, and shown she had wished to call him by it rather than by his title. Back then, it had taken Kija a few seconds to even _remember_ what his name was; the last time he had ever heard it spoken was from the lips of his father, that final time… But said by his Princess, it sounded right, and he grew to love it. She treated all of her dragon warriors and Hak equally, put them on the same level as her; that was just who she was. Kija had gotten so used to it now that it didn’t feel out of the ordinary at all.

As he stood there while people chatted around him, he couldn’t help but realize that someone was missing from the welcoming party: the person he most wanted to see. Biting his lip, Kija tried not to worry about why she might not be here… surely nothing was wrong, he reasoned as his chest tightened slightly. He shouldn’t think like that. If something had happened, that would be the first thing they would have told him, he tried to rationalize to himself.

Wanting to confirm for himself before he let his worries get the better of him, Kija pushed through the group of villagers, intending to head towards the biggest house in the vicinity, and the one he knew the most well. Muttering ‘excuse me’s and apologies as he went, he had just broken through everyone when a loud call caught his attention.

_“Lord Hakuryuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!”_

His head shot up at the voice that he would recognize anywhere, and tears sprang to Kija’s eyes as he laughed in relief. Barreling towards him at high speed was his grandmother, riding on her sedan chair with the carriers in tow. She would reach him within moments, but Kija ran towards her anyway, and it wasn’t long before he had her small body in his arms, hugging her just like he had the day he left.

“I-I’m so s-sorry, Lord Hakuryuu!!” his grandmother bawled, her voice distraught. “I only just woke up; I o-overslept and missed greeting youuu!”

“…Oh Granny,” Kija whispered, crying even as he smiled. “It’s alright; it’s perfectly a-alright… I’m so glad to see you again… so, _so_ happy…” With everything he and the others had done and the places they had gone, he rarely had time to spend missing his village and his grandmother, but deep down, he had always been scared; scared that when he finally returned, she would no longer be there, despite her insisting otherwise when he had first said goodbye. Seeing her with him now lifted a great burden off Kija that he hadn’t known he’d been carrying, and yet he also realized now that he never should have worried in the first place. His grandmother was like no other, and would move heaven and earth for him.

She was here now, and she would somehow find a way to make sure she was here when he finally returned for real, he was sure.

“…I missed you, Lord Hakuryuu,” she finally said lovingly, having calmed down.

“I missed you too, Granny.”

 

* * *

 

There was a grand festival to celebrate his return that night; Kija expected no less, of course. Everyone was able to relax, something they hadn’t been allowed to do for a long time it felt like, and he was grateful for it. Yona, having managed to make the villagers interact with her more casually, told stories of what she and they had done while Kija was away, and everyone was enamored with her, to no surprise. Yoon did what he did best, and stocked up on their supplies, having more time and free reign to look around than he had last time they had been here. Jae-ha also did what _he_ did best: getting to know the girls. It was scandalous, and yet Kija secretly found himself amused and slightly vindicated by it. The Green Dragon would keep them off of him, at least for this visit.

Zeno and Shin-ah played with the village children. It warmed his heart to see both of them having fun; they deserved it most of all. Shin-ah was good with them, despite his quietness, and Ao was a favorite with kids wherever they went. Zeno had his eternal sunniness to him that never faded, even during the moments when it was clear his mind was elsewhere, though it wasn’t obvious to others. But Kija noticed, as did the rest of their group when they paid attention, he knew. During the feast, as the villagers talked excitedly amongst themselves and to him, he felt more than saw Zeno watching them, his gaze soft and his eyes shining, an expression that was both nostalgic but also content. Their eyes had met for a moment, and Kija had tried to convey with only his look the sentiment _“Do you feel at home here? I hope you do.”_ Deep down, he desperately wanted everyone here to know who Zeno really was, because the Yellow Dragon was so much more worthy of their reverence than he was, and more. But he also knew he didn’t have the right to say anything; it was Zeno’s business and his alone.

“They remind Zeno of you then,” Zeno had offhandedly commented to Kija when entertaining the littlest of the village children. Kija had smiled in response, but his heart constricted, and he felt guilt gnawing at him even though he knew he had done nothing to feel guilty for.

Truly, none of them had. But it was hard not to feel otherwise; especially him, thinking of how he had lived here in peace and without wanting for anything for the longest time, while Zeno was out there, waiting and alone. …Not that a decade less would have made much of a difference for him, but still, it would have been _something._

Once it had grown fairly dark, the others still celebrating and not tiring in the slightest, Kija made his escape from everyone. He sensed his grandmother watching him, but he had a feeling she knew where he was headed. He silently thanked her for not questioning him.

On the top of the hill at the back of the village was its most sacred place, where only he and his grandmother went now. Next to the giant hole in the cliff wall, Kija turned around and sat himself down, his robes spreading out beneath him in the grass. Previously, he always would have taken care to put something underneath him, such as a cloth, in case he soiled his clothes, but something like that seemed so insignificant now.

From where he was, the village looked beautiful spread out before him, the small lights twinkling and the people below blending together so he couldn’t tell who was who. Soon, he would have to rejoin them and assume his role as the White Dragon warrior again, but just for now, he could have this time to himself.

Content, Kija leaned his head back against the hard stone, now looking up at the gorgeous starry sky.

“Hello, Father… I’m sorry I haven’t come in a long while.”

It wasn’t an understatement; he hadn’t visited his father’s gravesite in years. The few times Kija had done it as a child, he had never known what to say, and the awkwardness he felt whenever he was there caused him to shy away from it more often than not; it also felt strange being with “him” unsupervised; being alone there suddenly felt not necessarily _uncomfortable_ , but simply unnatural. Kija had loved his father dearly, and still did… but he knew that he was never coming back. He had passed away without ever finding the one thing he and so many before him had wanted more than anything, and talking to his father knowing that always felt wrong… felt inappropriate.

But things were different now. Perhaps his father already knew, if Kija chose to believe in things like loved ones watching you from heaven (and he did, absolutely), but he still had to talk about it himself. He owed it to him.

“What you wanted… _who_ you wanted… I have found her. I was chosen.” It filled him with joy and honor to say it out loud, but also regret. “It has been so long… so many generations have waited for that day that I experienced, when she came to me… I was the one given this great honor, out of everyone.”

Kija smiled softly, thinking of Yona. “Yes, our master is female; she is the Princess of Kouka, and I have every belief that one day, she will become our Queen. …Her name is Yona” – calling her by name felt a bit difficult, but not wrong – “and despite all the hardships she has suffered through, she is a kind and generous person… she is so brave and strong. I… _we_ ,” he corrected himself, “love her so very much.

“…I wish you could have met her.”

His brow furrowed in sadness, but Kija pressed on.

“Then there are the others, and what a lively bunch they are. There is Hak, the Princess’ guard and beloved friend since childhood. We… did not get along at first,” Kija murmured, turning red a little in embarrassment. “But that has long past, and now I know our group would not feel complete without him. Despite him lacking powers like those we have, he is so adept at fighting that it matters not.

“There is Yoon, who the Princess found before reaching me. He is the youngest of all of us, but he is a very bright boy, and to tell the truth, we would be absolutely lost without him,” Kija chuckled, thinking about all the times their “mother” nagged them. “Yoon prepares our meals, cleans and mends our clothes, heals our wounds, takes care of us when we are ill… He does it all. I’m very grateful to him, as is everyone else.

“And then… there are the other dragon warriors. The Blue Dragon was the first we met… He was alone in a cave, in a village that shunned him and was afraid of him because of his power, even though he is the gentlest soul that would never hurt a fly… I don’t know how long he had been there, and I don’t know whether his life was much better before that.” Kija blinked his eyes rapidly, trying not to cry. He always became emotional whenever he thought about Shin-ah’s situation, and it only made his desire to look out for him even stronger.

“The Princess gave him a name, though. It is Shin-ah, because he is like the moon, shining brightly even in the dark.

“The Green Dragon, Jae-ha…” Kija smirked a little, wondering how best to describe the older man. “…He does what he wants, that is for sure. He was living with a band of pirates when we recruited him. …Jae-ha… he has his quirks, and he says things sometimes that I wish had never reached my ears,” he muttered, before his face and tone softened slightly. “But… I think I’ve come to understand him better now. He means well. I truly do believe that, and I’m glad he decided to come with us.”

Kija looked down at his lap, wondering how he could even begin to talk about Zeno, when he suddenly thought he heard a faint noise to the side and behind him. Turning his head slowly to the left, he sought out anything that looked out of place in the darkness.

It wasn’t long before he spotted a figure that was not trying very hard at all to hide himself, leaning against a tree at the corner of the rock wall. Their eyes met, and Kija broke the silence first.

_“J-Jae-ha?!”_

“Oh dear, and I wanted to keep listening a little while longer,” Jae-ha sighed in defeat, coming over to plop down next to a sputtering and flustered Kija. “Well, when you first started talking about me, I was worried, but it actually didn’t turn out as I feared. You even complimented me!”

“H-How much did you hear?!” Kija blurted while still trying to keep some semblance of a low volume to his voice, hoping his red face wasn’t visible in the dark.

“Just when you started talking about all of us.”

_He heard practically all of it then!_ “You followed me up here, didn’t you?”

Jae-ha shook his head. “No, I just noticed after a while that you were absent from the party, and I went looking for you… until I heard you.” He paused for a moment, looking down, before continuing in an apologetic voice. “…I didn’t want to interrupt, but sorry for listening.”

Kija gave a little sigh, turning back to look out at the village. “…It’s alright. …It must be strange to hear me do something like this, I suppose.”

“No, no absolutely not,” Jae-ha said firmly but gently, putting his hand on Kija’s shoulder, to the latter’s surprise. “I’m… glad… you can do this, so easily… Ah, no, I’m sorry, of course it isn’t easy for you; it wouldn’t be for anyone…”

Jae-ha trailed off, seeming to be struggling to find the right words, and Kija watched him, confused and a little bit concerned.

“I actually… haven’t done this very often. I feel like it’s something you’re _supposed_ to do, if you feel like you are able to, of course… but it just never felt right. I never had anything new to tell him, after all.”

Kija turned to face Jae-ha again, his eyes sparkling in earnestness.

“But now I _do_. So much has happened, so much I can tell him… so much I _want_ to tell.”

“Yeah…” Jae-ha replied, smiling sadly. “A lot has happened, definitely… it makes sense you’d want to talk about it.”

“…Of course, I wish I didn’t _have_ to tell my father about it,” Kija finally continued, his voice trembling the slightest bit. “I wish… I wish he was here with us to see it firsthand… or even in my p-“

“Don’t say it.”

Kija lifted his head up, staring wide-eyed at Jae-ha’s stern expression. The other man shook his head, and his face then softened a little. He turned away, leaning backwards on his arms so he could look up at the sky.

“You want him with you on this journey… That’s all. …I think everyone in our group can sympathize with that sentiment.”

“Jae-ha…”

When the Green Dragon didn’t say anything in response, Kija looked down, playing with the grass with his human fingers absentmindedly.

“I didn’t have much time to get to know my father… His demeanor was cold, but I don’t think he meant to seem unkind… he was simply… afraid, and lonely… I believe he would have liked the Princess; I can just feel it.”

Kija smiled sadly, feeling nostalgic.

“…Like I said, I was never allowed to see him very often, and the few visits that happened were very brief, and always with supervision… but I’ll treasure the memories of those rare moments forever.”

“So you remember them well… those times?” Jae-ha asked sympathetically, and Kija wasn’t sure if he was imagining the longing in his voice.

“Mmm, vaguely,” he hummed, “He never seemed to know how to interact with me, which makes sense of course, especially since we could never get too close… But he would ask me if I was well, and the first time I think he asked me if I was still in pain from… that… I would ask him how he was too. …that may have been cruel in its own way, though, asking that.

“I think I remember… that in the last year, he had a birthday present he chose given to me,” Kija said quietly, his voiced strained. “He couldn’t give it to me in person… even if he hadn’t already been so ill by that point, I don’t think they would have let him give it to me on his own… but I loved it… I never got to tell him how much I did.”

Kija took a shaky breath, squeezing the grass with his other hand now and watching as his claws cut the blades.

“I wish so much that he could have come with us, but… that’s just not how the process works. The descendant dragons are not a-alive for very long… b-before the predecessors are no more… if she had come just a decade earlier, it could have been h-him, you know? That’s all… it would have taken…”

“…Yeah, I think about that more than I’d like to admit,” Jae-ha said in response, not noticing or commenting on how Kija’s voice had grown high-pitched with emotion. “…I think ‘just a little bit earlier; that’s all it would have taken’. If only… ‘if only’ is all I can say anymore,” he laughed bitterly.

“Jae…ha…?”

He had never heard Jae-ha sound like he did now before, and he had never said anything so revealing about his own past before. Kija didn’t know if Shin-ah and Jae-ha had been related to their predecessors, or if they had even known them… and Zeno was obviously an exception, though he was still in the same boat as they were, in his own, sad way. Kija had never asked though, because it would be rude to pry. If either of them brought it up on their own, he and the others would listen. He would always embrace an opportunity to learn more about and grow closer to his dragon brothers, after all.

Kija bit his lip, not wanting to say the wrong thing.

“…Um, if I may ask… Was… was your father your predecessor too, Jae-ha?”

Jae-ha did not answer for a very long time, and with each passing moment of silence, Kija felt worse. When he finally did respond, it was with a dry, humorless laugh that broke Kija’s heart to hear.

“Oh, hell. Let’s just go with that; why not?” Jae-ha said, his voice retaining that horribly bitter and broken tone. Kija didn’t understand what he meant, but he wasn’t about to question it, his heart aching just by hearing the other dragon’s words.

“We had… quite the relationship, we did. I…” Jae-ha gazed down at his lap, his voice quiet, and in that moment, Kija thought he looked so very small, despite being one of the wisest and oldest in their group.

“…You… forgive your father, despite what he did to you… but I get why.”

Kija’s eyes widened with shock at the unexpected direction Jae-ha took, but before he could say anything, the latter continued.

“I… I couldn’t forgive him for it then… still really can’t. I hated him, each and every time. …But… I understood. I understood, and I understand even more now that that time is over.”

Pain laced through his heart as Kija realized the implications of Jae-ha’s words. Tears blurred his vision, but Jae-ha didn’t notice as he was facing away from him, and he pressed on.

“There were so many times when I hated him. …But there were also so many times when I _didn’t_ … I guess you could maybe call it something akin to caring. …It doesn’t make sense, right? That’s what I always thought about… hell knows I had more than enough time to ponder these things… But when you have two people stuck in a room for years upon end with no way to escape it, no way to escape each other… I guess _some_ kind of bond has to form. Despite any… difficulties.”

Jae-ha was rambling, which was unusual for him. Kija didn’t point this out though, wanting to hear as much as Jae-ha would be willing to reveal to him.

“…Tell me more?” was all he said, willing his voice not to break as tears still threated to fall. He scooted closer to the Green Dragon, putting his hand on top of Jae-ha’s comfortingly. Jae-ha didn’t seem startled or pull away, which he was grateful for at least.

“…I have some fond memories, despite all the bad ones,” Jae-ha said quietly, matter-of-factly, without further ado. “He would tell me the story of the dragons, about the master we were waiting for. When I was littler, he would feed me, and hold me… He was much gentler in the earlier years. …But even in the last few years before it all came to an end, he would have occasional moments where it was as if he would suddenly realize what had happened and what he had done to me… it was like his mind suddenly cleared, and he became a completely different person; more like the person I remembered from the beginning. …He would clean my injuries with the meager things we had to use… and h-he would hold me, repeating apologies over and over again, overflowing; crying so weakly and pathetically… out of everything he ever said to me, those apologies are what I remember the clearest, despite how long ago it was… I can still… h-hear… them… in my head… I _can_ …”

Kija put his arm around Jae-ha, turning his head so that his face was buried in his shoulder, his voice barely a whisper.

“…You loved him.”

_“No,_ dammit!” Jae-ha choked out, tears escaping from his eyes. “Why did I have to?! I didn’t _want_ to feel that way!! It would have been easier if I could have just spent the entire time hating… why did he have to be so miserable… so pitiable in the midst of all that _hatefulness_ … Why? I don’t understand…”

Jae-ha sobbed like a child while Kija held him, his heart crushed. He sensed that he had had no one to talk to about this for his entire lifetime; Kija realized how much he cared for Captain Gigan, but he could easily imagine Jae-ha not telling her his secrets and deeply-buried emotions related to his dragon lineage. Kija was glad he had her, even still… but he was also grateful they had found him, as well.

“…You know what I really hate, though,” Jae-ha finally said, brokenly. “I hate this dragon system. It’s stupid, and cruel, and inhumane, and weird, and horrible, and devastating, and… and…!” He slammed his fist into the ground in frustration, unable to continue and letting his actions speak for him instead.

“I know… I know… I don’t understand it either,” Kija managed, keeping his hands on his shoulders in an attempt to calm him.

“…It just doesn’t make any sense,” Jae-ha moaned, his breaths shaky. “It took this long for Hiryuu to return again. Two thousand years. Do you know how many dragon warriors have been born with a useless power, w-waiting for someone who would never arrive, and then dying a slow and painful death at a young age… _for nothing?!”_

Kija sucked in a breath, trying not to start crying all over again. “Zeno must have seen them all… I can scarcely fathom it.”

“I bet you anything. …He went through the same loss we did, except with four of them instead of one.”

At this, Kija let out a muffled sob, putting his hand over his mouth and looking away.

“…That may be us, too, you know,” Jae-ha finally continued with, his voice solemn and sad and hurt but resolved all at the same time. “I know what we told Yoon, but…”

“I know,” Kija answered, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t want it, Jae-ha, I _don’t_ …”

“…I would be first. Then you. Then Shin-“

“Please _stop!”_ Kija wailed, interrupting Jae-ha’s numb recitation of words. He pressed his face into his chest, and then it became his turn to be hugged as he felt Jae-ha’s strong arms around him.

They stayed that way for a long while, until Jae-ha spoke.

“…I’m sorry,” he whispered mournfully, squeezing him. “I’m sorry; that was cruel of me… I’m so sorry. …I don’t want it either… for any of us. I’m just praying Yona’s presence keeps us all here. We can’t leave her alone, or Hak, or Yoon… or, god, definitely not Zeno.”

“Not Zeno; never again,” Kija agreed weakly, his voice muffled by Jae-ha’s robes.

The White Dragon pulled away slowly, still holding Jae-ha’s hand tightly, as if fearful that he would vanish into thin air if he let go. He managed a small smile at him, his eyes still tearful.

“Hey… what was his name?”

Jae-ha understood immediately, and he closed his eyes, looking fond but also sorrowful.

“…Garou. His name was Garou.”

Kija nodded, turning back towards the direction of the village. He put his hands together and closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer for Jae-ha’s predecessor, as well as his own father.

 “…Pray for Shin-ah’s, too,” Jae-ha said softly, knowing what he was doing, and Kija glanced at him in surprise as his mouth formed an ‘o’.

“I can just tell; just have this feeling… He doesn’t let much show, but just… the way he treats his mask so carefully and gently; didn’t want to let it go even though he doesn’t wear it anymore and even though it should symbolize such sadness for him…”

Jae-ha trailed off, but Kija didn’t say anything; simply resumed his position from before, putting his hands together and closing his eyes.

“…All right, then. Shin-ah’s too. …And Zeno’s family.” He also thought of their previous king, dear Yona’s father, because he knew the four of them weren’t the only ones who missed their loved ones so much each and every day.

After a few moments of silence, Kija returned to gazing at the sky, blinking away more tears.

“…If only all three of them could have come with us on this journey.”

“”If only’s” are all we’ll ever have anymore, Kija,” Jae-ha replied, and Kija didn’t have to look at him to know that he was crying again a little as well. “We can feel frustrated, and angry, and get upset… at the cycle, and at ourselves, feeling like we’ve failed them… But all we can _really_ do is do the best job we can in their stead, for them.”

“That’s right,” Kija agreed, sounding hopeful, trying to encourage him. “We can do it… we _have_ to do it… Stay at the Princess’ side for as long as she needs us, and even beyond then… To honor them.”

Feeling a sudden burst of urgency, Kija turned towards Jae-ha swiftly. He still had some stray tears in his eyes, but he tried to look determined, putting on a brave face.

“Promise me you won’t die. I promise too. We _have_ to live; for her, for the rest of our family… and for them.”

Jae-ha sighed, still looking emotional as well but managing a good-natured smirk.

“...Well, when you say it like that, I guess I can’t disobey, can I?”

Kija nodded slowly, the resilience in his expression not fading.

“It’s a deal, then,” Jae-ha replied softly. “…I mean, I’ve gone this long; I think I’ll be okay, don’t you?”

“I am quite certain none of the ladies in this village, or anywhere else, would forgive you if you ever weren’t, Jae-ha.”

“Very true!” Jae-ha laughed as he helped Kija to his feet after he had stood up himself, and Kija was relieved that he sounded more like his old self again.

“But really, though, I doubt you would die even if someone killed you.”

“The same goes for you, too,” Jae-ha said back, amused, and Kija rolled his eyes before his face softened.

“…I’ll come back to retire for the night soon. Please just give me a few more minutes.”

“Not at all,” Jae-ha replied, patting him on the shoulder and smiling the first genuine smile he had that night. “…Sorry for not acting like myself, and here of all places.”

“It’s okay,” Kija said sincerely, shaking his head even before Jae-ha had finished speaking. “It’s _always_ okay… The four dragons are always supposed to be here for one another.”

He took Jae-ha’s hand in his own, looking down at the ground.

“If… if you ever need to talk again, know that we’re all here. I’m serious.”

“Sappy,” Jae-ha scoffed, but Kija could tell by his face that he didn’t really mean it. “…Thanks, though.”

Jae-ha smiled gratefully back at him, and then turned and made his way back down the hill without another word. Kija watched him go, hoping he had done everything he could for him.

_Thank you for telling me all that you did… I know how hard it must have been for you. But I appreciate it._

Feeling surprisingly encouraged, Kija turned back towards the hole where he knew his father laid, summoning the image of his face into his mind that he could still just barely, miraculously remember.

“Father, please keep watching me… I will do my very best to make you proud.” He held his dragon hand close to his face, kissing it, as if his father’s presence resided within it. “…I love you; I always have and I always will.”

Kija paused for a moment, closing his eyes and hoping he could be heard in heaven.

“And… the last Blue Dragon, and Hiryuu and yours, and… Garou… You’re all in my thoughts as well. Always.”


End file.
